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Eleanor's Endeavour

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Helios Sphere: A novel of Magic and Marathons, Myths and Legends has been published!

06 Thursday Jun 2019

Posted by elladuv in Running

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Athens, Bristol, marathon, Novel, running, Writing

I’m excited to share some news with my blog readers.

This has been a dream for me since I was very small. I think I can finally call myself an Author! Lots of processing is currently happening. I am excited to announce that my debut novel Helios Sphere: A novel of Magic and Marathons, Myths and Legends has been published independently. It is Internationally available on Amazon.

The main character Ben is a Bristol based marathon runner who travels to Athens to run the Authentic Athens Marathon.  In the process he meets his pen-pal Dina, is haunted by an ancient malicious relic (a relic not yet written about in fiction) and finds himself on the quest to discover his powers and true heritage.  It is A Novel of Magic and Marathons, Myths and Legends.  I believe it’s one of the first modern books in which the runner is the hero in a fictional format.

I will be hosting a book launch party and signing on the Solstice week at the Gryphon.  Please check out the Facebook event page link below.

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If you would like to attend the event please take a look at the Facebook event page: Book Launch: Helios Sphere

In the meantime you can follow me on Facebook @EleanorMDuvivier and Twitter @EllaDuv to keep up with updates.

I ran 1.5 miles the other day, so I’m pleased to say that I’m back on the tracks too.  I had a bit of a break and it’s good to be able to return to running 🙂

Many thanks,

Eleanor

Race Report: Athens Marathon 2018 – Marathon 10

23 Sunday Dec 2018

Posted by elladuv in Running

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Charity, fitness, marathon, motivation, running, travel

It’s been quite some time since I’ve posted a blog.  Apologies for that.  Life got insanely busy again.

I’ve mainly been keeping quiet because I’d planned to run Athens Marathon.  I didn’t want to spend the summer worrying about my training on the net.  I have chronic fatigue, an undiagnosed bowel condition, a slipped disc that flares into my sciatic nerve, two broken toes and arthritis in my right foot fracture that I gained in 2016.   Instead I simply got down to it and knuckled in after the family triathlon in June.

I used my MoveGB membership to do at least two different fitness classes a week.  Mostly Zumba which I totally love now.  Tried out some different forms of Yoga.  I even gave Pole Dancing a go, Tai Chi and Spin Class.  I tried all sorts of things I wouldn’t have bothered with with a standard gym membership.  It’s important to find your groove for when it’s not okay to run as we all need a break and to cross train other things.  I ran two or three times a week and focused on a weekend long run.  My longest training run was half marathon distance.

It seemed logical that my return to racing start at Athens Marathon, having been twice before there is something about that race that keeps me coming back.  I travelled to Athens with my partner Jack.  I managed the race in just over 6 hours which isn’t my worst time or my best but is still a middling time and an achievement to having done my 10th marathon.  It feels pretty great to have finally got to 10 after having had to cancel Portsmouth Marathon last year.  I was ripe with anxiety and doubt!

I also raised £290 for the Wallace and Gromit’s Grand Appeal charity for the Bristol Children’s Hospital. Image may contain: one or more people, people standing, sky, cloud and outdoor

Now I have done 10 marathons the question is what next?  I’m not sure I’m built to be a fast marathon runner no matter how much training I do.  I might switch up to trying to become a faster 5k or 10k runner and make HM’s my focus for 2019.  I can’t bring myself to say the words ‘no more marathons’ and I still like the idea of an ultra.  I’d defo need to get my marathon time to a more comfortable place before I tried even the shortest ultra-distance. But who knows … maybe one day.

Happy running

Xxx

Eleanor

Race Report: Frenchay 10k – A Return To Racing

22 Sunday Apr 2018

Posted by elladuv in Running

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Bristol, comeback race, event reports, Frenchay 10k, racing, running

After a year out of racing I planned to do the Frenchay 10k on Sunday 15th of April. It was spur of the moment as I registered last Sunday.  I spent the first half of the weekend exploring humid and sunny Nottingham doing six miles of walking each day.  Then travelled back down to Bristol for the race.  I woke up to a typical cloudy (and later on, drizzly) Bristolian weather Sunday feeling rather groggy.  Two days of six mile walks had indeed caught up.  Yet that night my mantra had been, ‘I will not find an excuse to cop out today. I will not.  I will not.’  I couldn’t let another race pass me by due to my own nerves and horrendous levels of self-doubt.

FrenchayStartline.jpg

I made the decision that if I could manage a few runs per week perhaps I could switch up those runs into a race on the weekend.  I’d run what felt good training wise during the week, most of my runs ended up on weekends recently anyway due to having more time to get out.  I’d try not to obsess over plans that would see me exhausted and beat before I got to the start line.  With CFS and a slipped disc I need to be very aware of my body when doing fitness.  I only had one new medal to hang up last year.  I needed a comeback race.

Since I was 7lbs over my old race weight I tried to carboload by not necessarily adding in any extra food.  I just changed the proportion of carbs in my snacks and meals.  For weekday lunches I made a ridiculously hot veggie chilli as I find rice less stodgy than pasta and left Italian type meals to the evening.  I ordered a new set of Gaze boxes in bulk to try out to keep snacking controlled.

It was a great choice.  A race ran by a local club for charity.  The registration, start and finish were in the Glenside Campus, only about a mile from home.  This meant that travelling was no reason to cause any anxiety.  Inside race HQ it was completely packed out.  It was quick and easy to get my race number. I’d forgotten how long the queues for toilets get at racing!  I’d forgotten to bring spare pins and had to run with two pins due to a lack of them.  Next time I’ll remember to bring my own pins, something I used to always do when running races was a frequent habit.  I even have a small decorative pot of them somewhere at home just for races.

Despite not being at events for so long I could still recognise a lot of faces from local running clubs past and present.  This was a nice feeling.  Things hadn’t moved on so far in my absence that the field was completely unrecognisable.  I wore my Southville colours to shouts of ‘Go on Southville!’. There were wonderful pockets of support.  The race looped the Glenside campus, went down to Oldbury Court (where I’d done a lot of my winter training long runs) through the fields to Frenchay and back down to then finish with Blackberry hill in the last mile, a beast of a finish.  I only stopped to fix my race number in the field after it got too hot in my waterproof jacket.  Throughout I kept a steady pace with no walking to manage 10-12 minute miles.

Frenchay10kcup.jpg

Incredibly I even managed a sprint finish to lots of cheers at the end.  The race gift was a red Frenchay 10k mug.  It’s not always about the medal. I’ve had all sorts of things other than medals in the past like coasters, bottles of signature beer, ice creams.  Those moments will always be in your head regardless of what you get given afterwards.

Perhaps, I needed this time out to give myself a year’s rest.  After battering my body with a schedule in three years that included nine marathons, multiple halfs and 10ks with no prior fitness base. 1 hour 5 mins. 7.19 mins over my last 2017 flat Bristol 10k race and only 10 minutes over my 2016 10k PB, I think if I try hard on the day for the Bristol 10k in May I might be able to beat my PB set in 2016.

Afterwards I ached but only in that I needed to take breaks to walk around and have the odd paracetamol.  It didn’t completely destroy me.  I walked in the drizzle which promptly turned into torrential rain to Grounded for a lovely lunch of Spanish Potatoes.  Then I slept for a solid two hours.

SpanishPotaoesGrounded.jpg

I’m looking forward to putting more races on the calendar across the distances.

PS: Remember to stretch and foam roll!

PSS: Try not to go off too fast in the first mile!

Happy running,

Xxx

Eleanor

A mile to inspiration

04 Wednesday Apr 2018

Posted by elladuv in Running

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fitness, motivation, running, sunshine, weather

It finally feels like winter is starting to lose it’s dramatic battle with spring.

On the first day that felt a little spring-ish I dashed out for a run during my work from home lunch break.  Just a mile along my home road in the clear air with bright sunshine.  Warm sunshine would have been better.  The weather was such that if I had gone another mile then the tedious extra layers of the winter season training gear would not have been needed.

The mile had to be quick enough to get home in time to scoff a bacon sarnie before getting back to the computer for a meeting.  10:30m.  A mile is all it takes, isn’t it?

Just like sometimes a date is all it takes to fan a spark into romance a mile is all it takes to ignite a runner.  To free that runner from the darkness of winter training and propel them into what could be considered proper spring training.  Having only managed a few miles a week since New Year I felt I needed a push of inspiration especially since I’ve been feeling fatigue free of late.

That first spring mile logged on Strava was all it took.  It’ll become easier to be motivated as the light returns.  Easier to tie those shoes up in the morning.  Time begins to free up as nights are brighter.  As someone that presently has no time or cash for a comfortable treadmill this has deeply effected my training abilities which has meant my only options have been dark drizzly mornings or weekends.  I’m looking forward to the bountiful fitness options that spring and more time in natural light offer.

XXX

Eleanor

Recreation and Resolutions

04 Sunday Feb 2018

Posted by elladuv in Nutrition, Running

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forests, meal prep, nutrition, recreation, resolutions, running, woods

2018 has been pretty good to me so far.  In January I started a temporary position with the Forestry Commission for HR Events running 20 transitional events across England’s woods and forests.  It’s a lovely environment to be in and I really hope that the job lasts long term.  It’s refreshing to be working within recreation.

The funny thing is working in recreation doesn’t mean one has all the time for the world for it.  I often leave early and come back late.  This means my activity has fallen by the wayside a little.  I do have to focus on making the best of this assignment though as I know it’ll be beneficial in my future.  They liked my like with parkrun and that I run events in my spare time.

I love events because I’m passionate about bringing something to peoples lives that will leave an impression.  A slice of time that people will walk away with that you helped personally deliver in their timeline.  It’s a wonderful feeling to know something that you’ve put together can have that affect on a person.

I’ve managed the odd morning run since, I’m still running one run a week.  Last week was an exception because a bad fall on the weekend meant it took my arm a long time to get back into running shape again.  I know it’ll be easier to get back into it once the light returns.

MMushrooms

At the very least I’ve been managing to eat right.  Nutrition is something that can fall by the wayside in office jobs with all that cake.  I’ve been bringing in fresh fruit salads, yogurt and Graze snacks.  I’ve made a habit of Sunday or Monday meal prep lunches.  Please feel free to share your favourite recipes for meal prep in the comments! Above Moroccan Mushrooms and couscous.  Below Greek Salad.

GreekSalad

Another of my favourite Sunday tasks is to Bullet Journal for the week ahead.  I like Bullet Journaling because it blends art with lists.  One of my resolutions for 2018 is to parkrun once a month.  I made this parkrun tracker to help me keep note of my parkruns.

parkrunbulletjournal

Happy running,

xxx

Eleanor

Trial Race Day For Portsmouth Marathon

13 Wednesday Dec 2017

Posted by elladuv in Running, yoga

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Adventure, Christmas training, marathon, Portsmouth, Portsmouth Marathon, racing, running, Sweets, travel, Winter

Evaluating other attempts at running marathons I decided to change things up a bit and throw in a trial race day.  Not just a long run.  Basically, just a long run in which I pretended it was the Marathon.

It was the last long run before Portsmouth Marathon.  The morning of December 3rd (yeah, this blog is late).  It was the second longest run of 2017.  The run totalled 9.11 miles.

It went like so;

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Woke up at 8am to breakfast and drink coffee,
9am volunteering as time keeper at Junior parkrun,
9:30am set off from that start line of sorts to run along the Snuff Mills trails,
2.5 miles in turned back due to a steepass muddy as fudge decline at a tremendous height that made brain nope,
5 miles in stopped at the fuel station known as the house for hydrate,
7.5 miles in best run snacks of Jelly Beans by the mega handful,
8.6 miles in … 8 point … 6 … fudge 8.6. Keep at it!
9 miles in. 9 miles. Sprint finish home. HELL YES.

I felt fantastic.  When I got home for a cup of tea, a hot lunch and a steaming bubble bath after showering all the mud off it was a relief having done it.  I know it wasn’t 26. miles.  Nearly 10 is a good bench mark of how I will feel on race day.  I felt like I could do more, indeed I considered a second lap but didn’t want to over do it too soon.

JellyBeans

I found Jelly Beans as a running snack worked better than gels with my stomach so I’ve stocked up on lots of these.

Now to rest and carboload before Portsmouth Marathon.  I’ve done nothing but walking and yoga in the evenings.  I’ve bulk bought soups and healthy snacks for my workday lunches.  Of course, the odd Cherry Bakewell is unavoidable this time of year.  However, it’s still easy to eat balanced and just add the Minced Pies in as your afternoon snack instead of because of it.

As I write this Portsmouth looms at the end of Sunday.  I haven’t chickened out yet.  There are no health excuses worth cancelling for.  The weather might be a bit of mischief.  Yet, adventure calls.  The coast and it’s gales, the roses and their dew, the Pyramid Center and it’s Expo.  The runners and their lycra.

This will now be a staple before any race taper going forward in 2018.  It’s helpful to find the zone that gets missed sometimes with ‘just another long run.’  Make your long run work for you.  Make it special.

Happy running,

Eleanor

xxx

Less is more because the mind will see you to the finish

26 Sunday Nov 2017

Posted by elladuv in Running, yoga

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Bristol, mindfulness, parkrun, running, yoga

In a slump of only running very minimally for most of 2017 I felt like a fair weather runner.  Some weeks would only be a 5k run or a 10k run.  I realise that still counts as running.  It still counts as being a runner.  It might not be fast, it might be a once a week visit to Southville Running Club, a few laps around the park and a parkrun but it’s still running.

Runners get so used to seeing elites with high weekly mileage.  Strava feeds full of Sunday long runs, breakfast runs, lunch sprints, distance challenges.  It’s cool to be seen to be busy on the roads and trails.  It can be inspirational at times.  However, it can also feel a bit daunting.  It can also be a tool to evaluate your own running.

Realistically when juggling family and careers or other hobbies there is only so much time the regular person without a sponsorship can put in to running.  We still need sleep.  We still need to eat.  We still need to put our kids to bed.  We still need to commit to other commitments and that to do list will still need to be done by the end of the week.

So, sure carve out that hour or two for your run.  But also don’t feel bad or guilty or less like a runner if you haven’t got out the door this week.  It’s never, ‘only a few miles,’ as a few miles is better than no miles.

When running a race training will only get you so far.  If you’re stressed out from your life balance because you haven’t got that permission slip to the school yet or paid that phone bill on your to do list you may not finish strong.  A race is part a mental battle.  Marathon runners understand this.  26.2 is a long time to spend with yourself and if you’re not happy with things demons will crop up to make that stop at mile 18 really tempting.  Prepare yourself by preparing your mind.

Mindfulness, yoga, priority mind mapping, bullet journal your to do list for extra colour.  Carve out an hour a day just for you.  Don’t let running take that time too.  This is your creative time.  Fill it with joy and make it worthwhile.  During mine I like to write or cross stitch.  I really notice it when I don’t have this hour.  Remember you are your own first priority.

Happy running,

Eleanor

A run, not a race

09 Monday Oct 2017

Posted by elladuv in Running, Uncategorized

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autumn, mantra, parkrun, running

On Saturday 30th of September I actually felt good enough for a parkrun.

There was no Personal Best in sight.  I was happy to just be up and out in the glorious autumn morning without feeling ill for once.  It’s easy to get carried away with the idea of being fast, better or competitive.  I didn’t wish to risk any pain or not be able to finish so I kept a pace slower than usual with the knowledge that no one would mind.  There would still be runners at my speed.  There was no risk of getting left behind.

I met a runner indulging in some parkrun tourism and she noted a lot of people use parkrun/running to battle/manage their own conditions.

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The result was parkrun 13 was not a lucky fast PB.  It was in fact my slowest ever parkrun.  I have however reached my average yearly quota of four parkrun’s a year so any parkrun’s I complete after this for the rest of 2017 will be a bonus and contribute to my challenge of adding more parkrun’s to the schedule.

It’s ok to not be fast, and it’s ok to just do your best.

It’s a run, not a race.

Happy running,

Eleanor

xxx

Finding Your Limits

14 Monday Aug 2017

Posted by elladuv in Running

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Athletics, Bristol Balloon Fiesta, Championships, Mo Farah, running, strava, training

Mo Farah is the living embodiment of go hard or go home but that Athletic pack at the Championships sure did give him a run for his money.  They were like gazelles out there on the track, feet barely touching the ground, brows not even breaking a noticeable sweat.  Mo Farah runs 135-200 mile weeks depending on the article you read and in which point in his training it’s written.

Championship week asks questions about your own limits in training.  Serious questions when some Athletes are throwing mileage figures like that.  Strava says my weekly mileage is up to 13.1 miles now which was my weekly New Years’ Resolution. Week before last I did 14.44 miles.

A combination of physiotherapy and this half marathon plan has seen an increase in miles.  It might not seem like much.  The last time I managed 14.44 miles for the week was the first week of August 2017.  This shows white how much my back giving out effected my running.  I couldn’t run even 10 miles for a year.

I now have renewed determination to fit in my weekly mile target.  Everyone has to evaluate their own limits of what go hard or go home means to them.  It’s a balance of keeping motivated whilst knowing your own body so that it’s a safe progression.

I’m looking forward to getting back to my old running ways of 30 mile weeks. Last week I did 20 miles including two 20 mile days of field work at the Bristol Balloon Fiesta.  As part of my finding my limits I’ve made an internal agreement to walk sessions if I can’t run them so I’m still doing the miles.  When I can’t walk run.  When I can’t run walk. I’m now an Admin and Marketing Assistant for Bailey Balloons so getting used to a new part-time schedule along with the fun of juggling summer term break.

Happy running,

Eleanor

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Consideration of Self

01 Wednesday Mar 2017

Posted by elladuv in Running, yoga

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parkrun, running, yoga

As my health is an ongoing work in progress and I haven’t had any official diagnosis yet – regardless of it being nearly a year since I began to get unwell – I have had to evaluate my training regularly. I can’t follow snazzy training plans because if I’m knackered that’s me not getting out of bed tomorrow. This gets even trickier because I’m allergic to over the counter anti-inflammatory medicines so I have to rely on Paracetamol which doesn’t really impact it. So my training has been barely scraping the 10 miles a week barrel I’d half-heartedly set on Jan 1st and is more just ad hoc – doing what I can when I can.  Consideration of self capabilities is super important.

What else have I been doing?

Honestly, studying has been taking up much of my time. I’m finishing the last module of an Open University degree so my nights are spent researching Greek and Roman myth until past midnight in hopes of achieving a predicted 2:2. This means a lot less time to spend in the gym or working out.

Improvisation is key. I’ve been doing yoga daily either in the morning before work meaning a six am rise (thank heaven for SAD lamp!) or in the evening after I’ve put my daughter Holly to bed. This time last year I was running – or trying to – and doing yoga probably once a week if I remembered. I’ve found yoga such a gre20170301_130759at way to stay mobile with my spinal back problems and I’m really relishing my time on the mat. It’s so awesome when you get to see measurable progress. Things like being able to put the entire foot on the floor during a Downward Dog or indeed keeping stable on left leg balancing exercises. The left leg is where I get the pain from my back issues causing
some entertainingly shaky Tree poses! Hats off to Yoga With Adriene! Her videos are legendary. Alongside that I’ve been dancing with friends and the occasional social bouldering session. Bit of an ad hoc mix as I say but it appears to be working at keeping me fit and keeping off any weight increase from doing less than I’d like.

Running wise I’ve been slowly building using the 10% effort increase method over mileage and speed. I’m able to get away with doing 2-3 miles two times a week. I want to get confident in 3-4 miles so I can start club running again in spring and enjoy the lighter days in summer.

20170226_090020My highlight of February has been on training for Run Director as part of a team of Run Director trainees banked for a new Junior parkrun event at Eastville Park in Bristol. As part of the training we ran Little Stoke Junior parkrun as a group and attended an arkrun ethos and event running protocols. Last weekend we hosted our trial event with 11 runners and plan to launch on March 5th. It’s beginning to feel real now!
Happy running,

Eleanor

 

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